Lowell school board alters course, backs PARCC

LOWELL -- In a nearly complete turnaround from an earlier decision, the School Committee voted 5-2 Wednesday night to adopt the PARCC test this year for students across the district.

The argument to reconsider dropping MCAS for the Common-Core aligned test was bolstered by a number of staff who argued it would prepare Lowell for the new hybrid test -- a mixture of both MCAS and PARCC content -- that the state hopes to roll out in the spring of 2017.

The vote came after a visit from Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Mitchell Chester, who strongly urged school officials to reconsider distributing the test.

Superintendent Salah Khelfaoui noted the ability for the district to take the test in paper and pencil, alleviating the fear of the costs and infrastructure needed for an online test.

He also emphasized the hold-harmless period available for districts that choose to adopt PARCC this year. That could provide a window of opportunity for Lowell to improve its struggling schools, without the district slipping into a poor Level 4 designation.

"Essentially what (the commissioner) is telling us is we're going to give you a year and a half or better to get your act together in helping these schools," Khelfaoui said. "I need that time. We need that time. Our teachers and leaders need that time.

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Pawtucketville Elementary School Principal Matthew McLean, among a small crowd that gathered for the discussion, argued that his teachers unanimously want PARCC over a "dead" MCAS test.

"They're seeing it as we have two years to get ready for the next challenge," he said. "They like what they see in the PARCC test."

STEM Academy Principal Jason McCrevan echoed similar comments.

"Let's get it on a paper and pencil test and learn how the test works and give the kids a chance at really being successful on it," he said. "Then when it goes to online at least they have those test-taking skills down and hopefully they can apply it to the technology that goes along with it."

Paul Schlichtman, the coordinator of research, testing and assessment for the district, argued the test will provide data advantages over MCAS.

"We will get richer, more valid data that our educators can use if we transition to PARCC now," he said. "In addition, that will give our kids two years of practice before it counts."

With the option of sticking with a paper test, some committee members changed their stance. The state, however, is still aiming for school districts to distribute the online hybrid test by 2019..

Member Steve Gendron originally voted to stick with MCAS, but said much of his concern was because of the online nature of PARCC.

"The likelihood of us going to Level 4, I think that's something we can avoid and be held harmless," he said. "I think that's an opportunity we should probably seriously consider."

Yet, United Teachers of Lowell President Paul Georges argued that the union is against all high-stakes testing.

He noted Chester's position on PARCC's governing board, a position that critics have argued makes him biased for the test.

"The fact is there's an agenda," Georges said. "What does PARCC testing have to do with corporate America? It's a part of Pearson publishing, it's a gold mine for Pearson Publishing. There was an agenda when he came to Lowell, that was for us to walk away a little bit from MCAS and go to PARCC."

Members Robert Hoey and Robert Gignac voted against the decision.

Hoey, Gignac opposed

Gignac argued that students in possible future Level 4 schools should be helped immediately.

"Those kids deserve the very best now, we should not be waiting a year or two years being held harmless," he said. "Those changes should be made now because those kids deserve the best today."

Hoey voted against the measure arguing government mistakes made in testing.

"I was here 20 years ago when testing basically started and I believe state, federal mandates and testing for one thing has caused a lot of damage to the children," he said.

In other news, the committee also approved a plan to buy two modular classrooms for Wang Middle School to accommodate an increase in students, an influx that middle schools are dealing with throughout the entire district.

Those two modulars would cost about $36,000 each, according to Interim Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Frank Antonelli. The School Department would have conversations with the city about funding the modulars, he said.

Yet the two modulars only address part of a larger issue of enrollment.

"It's a problem, it's going to continue for at least the next four years," Khelfaoui said. "So we've got to come up with other alternatives, not just the modulars."

The committee also approved the posting of a temporary developer to create the new Office of Accountability, which will align the district's goals to its Five-Year Strategic Plan. It would carry a salary of up to $75,000.

Members approved the posting 5-1, with member Connie Martin against it, citing concerns about spending money to fund the position.

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